Bali

Things to do | Getting around


One of the most magical islands in the world, Bali justly deserves its nickname "Island of a Thousand Gods". Blessed with beautiful beaches, lush, verdant countryside and beautiful old temples, no-one could deny that the "heaven on earth" clichÈ rings true.

The majority of visitors flock to the island's beautiful beaches. The southern beaches of Kuta and Nusa Dua are blessed with long swathes of golden sand with azure waters lapping at the shore. Although much of the north coast is covered in black, volcanic sand, the beaches up here tend to be somewhat quieter and still offer a wonderful location for swimming, snorkelling or just relaxing. Natural attractions don't stop at the beach either - In the east, the volcanic mountain of Gunung Agung juts up into the clear blue sky, creating a dramatic feature in this peaceful land.

The island's interior, often practically ignored by many visitors, has charms all its own. Terraced rice fields cascade down the hillside, giving a green backdrop to the terracotta-hued temples dotted around the countryside. The 15th century was the turning point for Bali's rich cultural and religious heritage when the Hindus and intelligentsia of Java began migrating here in their droves to escape Islamic rule at home. As a result, Bali has become a tiny pocket of Hinduism in predominantly Muslim Indonesia. In fact the locals practise an intriguing mix of Hinduism and animism, and religion remains a central part of everyday life, especially during the many festivals throughout the year punctuated with colour, music and feasting.

For culture lovers, Bali has kept alive its traditional music and dance. The best area to enjoy such cultural attractions is the town of Ubud in the centre of the island, where visitors can see performances of gamelan music, besides the traditional kecak and barong dances. Handmade arts and crafts are popular souvenirs and widely available throughout the island, although Ubud's shops and art galleries are probably the best places to hunt for good pieces.

And that's not all - people might come here to enjoy the natural splendour and peaceful serenity of the island, but an almost equal number of backpackers and revellers come here to enjoy the laid-back attractions of Kuta and Seminyak, where bars and nightclubs offer more robust entertainments. Bali is truly a destination with something for everyone.

                                                                                                                                                                          back to top ^
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Things To Do
Apart from the obvious activity of lying on Bali's beautiful beaches, there is a wealth of historical and artistic attractions and stunning natural scenery on the island, crying out to be explored.

Ubud
The artistic centre of Bali, charming Ubud is home to numerous art galleries and craft shops, making it an ideal place for art lovers to browse while soaking up the very Balinese atmosphere. Wander through the back streets to the strains of gamelan music playing in the distance and feel yourself being transported into another world. Some of the best traditional dance shows can be seen here or you can simply watch the locals making their tiny Hindu offerings to throw into the street to ward off danger.

Just out of the town, stroll down to the aptly named Monkey Forest, to see some of its inhabitants swinging from the trees - some of them have been known to stray out of the forest, surprising people staying at nearby hotels.

Kuta
The tourist capital of the island, and arguably of the whole of Indonesia, Kuta often gets a bad press with independent travellers looking for the "real Bali". This, though, doesn't detract from the fact that it is home to one of the best beaches on the island - a beautiful swathe of white sand - and is a great place for surfers who aren't up to braving the perils of Uluwatu, earning it the nickname "surfers' paradise".

Admittedly the barrage of hawkers trying to sell fake Rolexes and the like can get irritating, but it's really a matter of what you're looking for in a holiday and if you're simply after a nice beach with a good choice of restaurants, bars and shops, you've found your place. You will also be pleasantly surprised by the town that reveals itself once you get off the main drag and onto some of the quiet, typically Balinese back streets, just waiting to be explored.

Around Kuta ñ Jimbaran & Seminyak
If you don't want to travel too far from Kuta, but are looking for some respite from the crowds and hawkers, Jimbaran and Seminyak offer very different alternatives. North of Kuta, the small, laid back town of Seminyak has become a popular stopping place for a variety of international expats. As a result, it has become a centre for upmarket restaurants, including French, Italian, Greek, Thai and Japanese, and is becoming renowned as the top place for clubbing on the island.

In complete contrast, the sleepy fishing village of Jimbaran, just south of the airport, offers beautiful, calm beaches and simple restaurants where you can eat fresh fish on the beach, grilled beneath the starry night sky.

Kintamani
The dramatic scenery of north-eastern Bali, a region known as Kintamani, is worlds away from the calm beaches of the south. Volcanic mountains soar up to well over 2000m, culminating in the highest point of 3142m-high Gunung Agung, dormant since the 1960s.

For the Balinese, the mountain is a place of great spiritual significance and the largest temple on the island, beautiful Pura Besakih, sits at its base, from where you can climb to the summit (the best time to do this is at night so that you can see the views to Lombok at dawn). Equally impressive is nearby Lake Batur, the largest in Bali, which sits in the caldera of Gunung Batur. If visiting this region, be prepared for the weather: it's much cooler here than the rest of Bali and can get positively chilly at night.

Tanah Lot Temple
The Hindu priest Dang Hyang Nirartha came to this rocky outcrop on the west coast in the 15th century and decided its spiritual atmosphere warranted a temple being built. Ever since, Tanah Lot (meaning the Temple of the Earth and Sea) has been one of the most venerated temples in Bali - and one of the most photographed. Jutting out to sea atop a coral island and only attainable at low tide, the temple is best seen in the early evening, when the sun sets behind it, giving it an especially dramatic air.

The Balinese come here for a number of ceremonies to pay homage to the guardian spirits of the sea and it is said that poisonous sea snakes at its base guard against evil spirits. If you are going inside, make sure that you are appropriately attired (ie, well-covered) to avoid causing offence.

Amed
At the easternmost point of Bali, Amed is the place to go for total relaxation on the beach with little in the way of distractions except the odd coconut falling off a tree.

One of the quietest places on the island, its reputation is nevertheless growing and tourism has developed quite considerably over the past few years with a wide range of accommodation springing up, from the simplest wooden huts built on the beach (for those wanting their own Robinson Crusoe style holiday) to four star resorts. There is little to do here, except to enjoy the long - and almost deserted - black volcanic beaches, which, after all, are why most people come here.

Bukit / Nusa Dua
Covered in dense forest with cliffs soaring into the sea, Bukit is the small peninsula at the extreme south of Bali. Precariously perched on one of these cliffs is the beautiful Uluwatu Temple affording incredible views over the surrounding coastline.

Bukit is renowned for its surfing spots, in particular Uluwatu, which attracts surfers from all over the world. You'll also find some of the best beaches in Bali in this area, including the upmarket resort of Nusa Dua on the eastern coast, which, though not typically Balinese, does have golden swathes of sand fringed by coconut palms, just as the tourist brochures would have you believe.

Lovina
On the north coast, Lovina is an attractive seaside town. Although there's a tourist scene here, most notably of the independent, backpacking contingent, it is quieter than Kuta, partly due to its black beaches, which, though clean and sandy, don't quite have the allure of the golden beaches in the south. Lovina has become famous for an unusual attraction: every morning at sunrise, a few dozen dolphins gather and play together, barely 200 metres from the beach.

A few kilometres west is the small town of Banjar and the Brahma Vihara Ashrama Buddhist Monastery, the largest Buddhist edifice in Bali constructed in an original combination of Balinese and mainland Southeast Asian styles. Just nearby are natural hot springs which are ideal for a warm bath.

Tanganan
Bali's oldest settlement is just off the southeast coast, in a remote area accessible only via a small track leading from the coast between Padangbai and Candidasa. The walled village is home to some fascinating traditional festivals and local events, providing an unusual glimpse into the "real" Bali. Here you can see an authentic example of traditional Balinese life, virtually unchanged for a hundred years.

The nearby coastal towns of Padangbai and Candidasa both have pleasant beaches and clear, calm water, ideal for snorkelling or diving. Padangbai is the more traditional of the two with a delightful cove where fishermen rent their boats for fishing or snorkelling rides.

Denpasar
Crowded and bustling, Bali's capital is often avoided by visitors who are eager to get straight to the beach. Yet Denpasar has several attractions of interest, and is well worth exploring. One of the main highlights is the majestic Hindu Temple of Jagat Natha, Denpasar's main Hindu place of worship and the centre of festivals and local events.

Just a couple of kilometres out of the city centre are the traditional buildings set in landscaped gardens of the Bali Arts Centre or Taman Budaya, offering some of the best of Balinese culture with regular displays of dance and theatrical productions as well as art exhibitions. The town also offers some colourful markets, selling practically anything from birds and reptiles to food and fabrics, as well as dozens of excellent Chinese and Indonesian restaurants.

                                                                                                                                                                          back to top ^
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Getting Around
Most people coming to Bali fall into one of two camps - backpackers or package tour sunseekers. In the case of the latter, often transfers will be arranged from the airport and many people will not venture outside the immediate locale of the resort. If you do choose to move around then there are rather rudimentary public transport facilities, but they are fun and more than adequate considering the size of the island. Most people who want to visit several areas of the island will take the option of hiring their own mini-jeep or moped however.

To and From the Airport
Bali's only airport, Ngurah Rai International is in the south of the island, a couple of kilometres from Kuta.

Taxis
To get to Kuta or anywhere in the south, your best bet is simply to get a taxi from the airport to your destination. Like many destinations in Asia on leaving the arrivals hall you will be immediately surrounded by drivers asking you if you'd like a taxi. Many of these people are unlicensed operators. Should you go with them make sure that you have firmly agreed a price for your journey before letting them set off. "Porters" will grab your bags for you as well - they will expect money simply for carrying your bag to a waiting vehicle a couple of metres away. Keep hold of your luggage, or pay them a small tip of around IDR5,000. They might protest for more but it is essentially money for nothing. A more hassle-free option is to go to the fixed price counter nearby. Prices to named destinations are displayed on a board. You pay here for your destination and a driver will escort you to his vehicle. To the main tourist resorts in the south of the island, the cost of the ride is about IDR30,000.

Bemo
For going further afield, it's more cost effective to get a bemo, the local minibus service. These can be caught just outside the airport compound.

Public Transport
Buses Buses are the only scheduled transport on Bali and are operated by the government and private companies. Coaches between towns are booked and paid for in advance, while local services by mini-bus (bemo) are paid on boarding. Bemos allow short fixed route trips at very affordable prices (usually less than IDR5,000). It's a very cheap and quite uncomfortable way of travelling. Bemos can be stopped anywhere on the street, like taxis, but there is a coach station at Kuta Square where Bemos gather.

Journeys from the south to anywhere in the island, with regular coaches, can be arranged with any travel agent, and generally never cost more than IDR50,000 even for the longest trips. You can also get scheduled coach services to other islands - these should include a ferry fare in the price of your ticket. The various counters at the coach station should be able to help you with these services.

Driving
The best way to discover Bali is to rent a car or motorbike, which can be easily done in Kuta or Seminyak. This solution is sometimes an alarming prospect for visitors, as roads are not great, and some drivers have a "special" attitude to road use. But if you can overcome initial worries, your bravery will pay off.

Points to consider:

• In order to drive in Indonesia, you will need an international driving licence as well as a national licence. It's better to get it before arriving in Bali, but you can still buy a temporary one in Denpasar (IDR75,000, valid one month).
• Traffic drives on the left and priority goes to whoever takes it - usually the largest vehicle on the road.
• The speed limit is 70km per hour (45mph).
• Seat belts are fitted in some, but not all vehicles and though wearing them is not mandatory, it is obviously highly recommended to wear belts where fitted for safety reasons.

Taxis
There are plenty of taxis everywhere in the south of the island; in some parts of the north or more remote areas you might have to ask your hotel to call one. For short trips, they are fine and cheap (a typical ride is less than IDR15,000). Official cabs are usually either blue or white in colour. Generally speaking the blue cabs (operated by Blue Bird) are nicer vehicles and more reliable. Licensed cabs should have meters or operate to a fixed price tariff, which should be printed out and available for passengers to see. Never get into a cab that doesn't have a meter without first agreeing a price.

Source @ OctopusTravel.com Limited 2001-2008